AK Party spokesperson Omer Celik has stated that Türkiye is closely monitoring the recent events centred in Tartus and Latakia, Syria, during a press conference held at his party’s Adana provincial headquarters.

Celik emphasised that Türkiye has consistently been the most vocal advocate for bringing the Assad regime's massacres to international attention, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan taking a leading role in these efforts.

"We all know that Türkiye is the most sensitive country regarding Syria's security and stability following the fall of the Assad regime, and that our president's messages have been shared with the international community in this context," he said.

Regarding the recent developments in Syria, Celik stated: "We assess that the attack against Syrian security forces in Latakia is a terrorist attack directed at Syria's unity and harmony.”

“From the beginning, we have defended Syria's national unity and territorial integrity. Our most important principle here is that 'Syria belongs to all Syrians.' Within that framework, we completely reject any attempt by any entity or state to turn Syria into a satellite state or destabilize it through proxy forces," Celik said.

Celik also stressed that Türkiye fully supports Syria's territorial integrity and national unity. He noted that after the end of the 61-year bloody Baathist regime, it is not possible to solve all problems in a day or a few months, but it is crucial to establish a foundation based on adherence to law and embracing all Syrian people.

"A critical point here, as emphasised by our president from the beginning, is the emergence of an inclusive government," Celik continued.

"By inclusive government, we mean a government that represents the entire Syrian people. The Syrian people want a free, normal, and civilized life. The international community should stand by the Syrian administration and people," he added.

The AK Party spokesperson warned against labelling terrorist actions with sectarian or ethnic terms, emphasising that "terrorist is terrorist" regardless of religious or ethnic background. He called for careful language in statements and social media, particularly rejecting terms like "Alawite uprising" to describe the recent attacks.

"We approach all these groups in Türkiye's neighbouring regions with a policy of brotherhood," Celik said.

"The massacres of the Assad regime cannot be attributed to Alawites, and civilians cannot be blamed. Similarly, the massacres of Daesh cannot be attributed to Sunnis and Arabs."

Celik reiterated Türkiye's commitment to protecting all civilians regardless of their ethnic or sectarian identity and emphasised that Türkiye respects the Syrian government's statements regarding the protection of civilian lives during counter-terrorism operations.

He concluded by rejecting calls for international intervention or assistance from Israel, describing such appeals as provocations serving other political agendas. "If someone calls on Israel for help to protect Kurds, that person is an enemy of Kurds. If someone expresses intent to call on Israel to protect Alawites, that person is an enemy of Alawite," he stated.